House Speaker Mike Johnson intends to deal a swift blow to the Biden administration’s unwillingness to enact more stringent border policies by moving to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas “as soon as possible.”
In a letter to House Republicans obtained by The Washington Times on Friday, Mr. Johnson lamented President Biden’s unwillingness to launch policies from the GOP’s marquee border bill, changes that the speaker noted could be done with the stroke of a pen.
He placed the blame for the U.S./Mexico border chaos on both Mr. Biden and Mr. Mayorkas, contending they’ve “willfully ignored and actively undermined” the country’s immigration laws.
Mr. Johnson promised that a House vote to impeach Mr. Mayorkas would happen soon after the House Homeland Security Committee votes on articles of impeachment, which are expected to pass the GOP-led panel Tuesday.
“When we return next week, by necessity, the House Homeland Security Committee will move forward with articles of impeachment against Secretary Mayorkas,” Mr. Johnson wrote. “A vote on the floor will be held as soon as possible thereafter.”
Mr. Johnson also decried the Senate border negotiations, which are seemingly on life support following a closed-door meeting where Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, cast doubt on the deal’s survivability.
The speaker noted that unless the deal contains key policy changes that would end the Biden administration’s catch-and-release practices and revive former President Trump’s Remain in Mexico policy, it won’t survive in the House.
“If rumors about the contents of the draft proposal are true, it would have been dead in the House anyway,” Mr. Johnson said.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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